WNII is an electronic information service of INES,
the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility

Editor: Tobias Damjanov, e-mail: < >
INES homepage: http://www.mindspring.com/~us016262/ines.html
INES International Office < >
INES Chair Prof. Armin Tenner < >

Do not forget to inform us about changes of your email address or your homepage!

From the INES Office: R. Braun on vacation

Please note that Reiner Braun, INES' Executive Director, will be on vacation from 23 February - 12 April

Germany: Scientists' Initiative Responsibility for Peace and Sustainability ^

The German Scientists' Initiative, together with INES, is among the organizers of "Perspectives of European Science and Research Policy", a one-day conference at Cologne, 4 June 1999. The main focus of this conference should be the exchange of information of the different countries, from the perspectives of non-government organizations, trade unions and critical scientists. The topics are defined by the following questions:

• How does the concrete strategy of research technology policy of the EU Commission look like?
• What kind of development perspectives, versus obstacles regarding a lasting social Europe can be derived from this (structures and regional policy, democracy development, social development, integration)?
• What kind of role do economic power constellations play as to the development of referring concepts - key words: power and economics?
• Where and by whom are the main areas in content of research and technology policy programmes laid down?
• Who defines and lays down the financial means for single main areas in content?
• What kinds of interactions exist between European research and development policy and national scopes of arrangement?
• What kind of role does the demand of democratization of the European structures play and how can this process be accelerated?
• What does safe-guarding of responsibility mean regarding the European integration process?

For the programme in full, !!! mailto < >

!!! Abolition 2000 homepage: http://www.abolition2000.org

For the latest nuclear weapons abolition grassroots news, visit: http://www.napf.org/abolition2000/news/

News on the 1999 NPT PrepCom at New York http://www.peacenet.org/disarm/ ^

Originally due to start on 12 April, the exact time schedule of the last NPT PrepCom before the 2000 Review Conference is still pending. The New York-based NGO Committee on Disarmament < > is currently trying to find out about the (new) schedule. Also, the NGO Committee will arrange an orientation meeting on the Sunday before the PrepCom to brief all who are attending this meeting.

It seems highly likely that the PrepCom will grant a single, informal, three-hour meeting in its opening days for the voicing of NGO views. Similar to the 1998 PrepCom, NGOs will then make 12 oral representations to the governments' delegations, all organized around specific themes, plus one concluding presentation. First preparations on a list of themes have been recently made at an NGO meeting at New York (for this list and additional information, contact the NGO Committee via < >).

NOTE that as an INES representative, Tobias Damjanov was appointed to monitor the NPT PrepCom and to participate in corresponding NGO meetings (if the time-table allows it, he is also to attend the NGO activities around the NATO Summit in Washington, 23-25 April).

"Pacific Women Speak Out"

This is the title of a new book which will be presented to the public by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy and the Marshall Islands Mission to the United Nations on March 1, Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Day.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ^

Declaration about food that is genetically engineered http://www.psagef.org/ecpeng.htm ^

The network "Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology" have launched the following Declaration:

IT IS NOT RIGHT to exploit a technology which may give rise to unexpected substances that may be damaging to Health, before this risk has been carefully investigated.

IT IS NOT RIGHT to exploit a technology that may have irreparable environmental effects before it has been proven that the products do not cause significant harm to the environment.

IT IS NOT RIGHT to expose people and the environment to even the smallest hazard considering that present Genetically Engineered products are of little if any value.

IT IS NOT RIGHT to justify the exploitation of a potentially hazardous technology today because of a scientifically unfounded belief that it might generate useful products in the future.

THEREFORE, we demand a GLOBAL MORATORIUM on the release into the environment of genetically engineered organisms and on the use of Genetically Engineered (GE) foods until sufficient knowledge has been acquired to make it possible to judge if it is justifiable and safe for our Health and the Environment to exploit this technology. This is most urgent as there are reasons to expect potentially serious hazards from the products of Gene Technology.

No so far released products have been properly assessed for safety. Therefore they should be withdrawn with shortest possible delay. Until production and trade will be stopped, we demand MANDATORY LABELING of all foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients.

[declaration ends]

You can sign the declaration by going to: http://www.flashbase.com/forms/signdecl

You can find links to references at: http://www.psagef.org/decl.htm#scifacts

E-mail address for signatures: < >

E-mail address for correspondence: < >

BIO-IPR listserver

BIO-IPR is an irregular listserver put out by Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN). Its purpose is to circulate information about recent developments in the field of intellectual property rights related to biodiversity & associated knowledge. BIO-IPR is a strictly non-commercial and educational service for nonprofit organisations and individuals active in the struggle against IPRs on life. The views expressed in each post are those of the indicated author(s).

!!! For information about GRAIN, mailto < >

or visit: http://www.grain.org

1999 Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 7)

The main issues dealt with at the 1999 CSD (19-30 April) will be:

• SIDS PrepCom (Barbados Plan of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States)
• Sustainable Consumption and Production
• Tourism
• Consumer Guidelines
• Oceans

There was also be a two day dialogue session between industry, NGOs, trade unions, local authorities and governments on Tourism.

NOTE that NGOs have been very active in this process and particularly in preparing for CSD 7. A number of NGO papers on the CSD 7 main issues have been distributed in the meantime (which are available either from Tobias Damjanov who has collected them, or from the NGO Steering Committee [see below]).

If you are interested in, contact the NGO Steering Committee at: http://www.csdngo.org/csdngo

Or !!! mailto Megan Howell < >

NOTE also that you can visit the UN Division on Sustainable Development at: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/

SPAC Watch

SPAC Watch is a new NGO initiative to monitor national progress towards sustainable production and consumption.

This February, NGOs discussed various aspects of initiative at the International NGO Conference on Sustainable Production and Consumption, in Soesterberg, Netherlands. This effort represents a collaboration among NGOs in various countries around the world, with the objective to monitor and report on progress by national governments in developing and implementing sustainable production and consumption policy.

Already, NGOs from India, Russia, Ireland, the United States, Chile, the Netherlands and other countries have committed themselves to act as civil society watch dogs to monitor efforts -- or note the lack of effort -- by their governments to follow through on their Agenda 21 commitments made at the 1992 Earth Summit.

In particular, NGOs are focusing attention on the commitment made by the heads of state during the Earth Summit to develop national policy frameworks for promoting sustainable production and consumption practices. With special attention focused on implementation of the newly revised UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection, NGOs throughout the world will be noting and reporting on what steps their governments take beyond the political rhetoric heard at the annual Commission on Sustainable Development sessions.

For further information about SPAC Watch and the NGO Caucus on Sustainable Production & Consumption, contact: Jeffrey Barber, Northern Coordinator NGO Caucus on Sustainable Production & Consumption email: <>

INES WEB- AND EMAIL SERVICE ^

A full list of all INES e-mail addresses and homepages is available upon request.
!!! mailto < >

No new or changed email or web addresses.

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